


Welcoming

by cherrycoloredphoenix



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Bastion has PTSD, Bastion is genderless but uses they/them pronouns, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 13:46:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12389313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrycoloredphoenix/pseuds/cherrycoloredphoenix
Summary: Bastion joins Overwatch. Of course, that doesn't mean they fit in immediately. It's a process.





	Welcoming

**Author's Note:**

> I absolutely churned this out in less than a day, so it's unbeta'd and might be a bit sloppy. Still, I got the idea and wanted to get it out there, so here it is! Please enjoy :)

Bastion was welcomed to Overwatch with guarded looks and tight smiles. The tensed shoulders didn’t relax during their introduction, even when their friend the engineer put in a word for them.

They weren’t surprised. This seemed a common reaction to their arrival, no matter where. They scanned the assembled members, recording each face for later reference. There were only two whose smiles remained after the original greetings. Both had ponytails, they noted. Perhaps ponytailed humans were more likely to be friendly towards them. That would be something to take into consideration.

“Here, I’ll show Bastion to their room,” one of the ponytailed humans said when all the introductions had been done. This human had yellow hair. She had given her name as Angela. She nodded up at them and added, “We’ve installed a little aviary for your friend here too, so she can stay in your room with you.”

 _Thank you_ , Bastion said, relieved, though the humans wouldn’t understand what they said. They had worried that Ganymede might be taken away. That would have been a dangerous act – for the humans.

As they tromped down the hall behind the yellow-haired lady, the other ponytailed one – Lucio – following up behind. He seemed friendly, and chattered away to both Bastion and the other human. Ganymede twittered at him in response.

They came across a few others on their way to the room. They all smiled at Bastion – yet none of them had ponytails. Perhaps the statistics were a little skewed. They would have to revise that.

“Hana, Lena,” Angela said, gesturing to Bastion, “meet Bastion. They’re our newest agent.”

“Cheers!” one said, zipping forward to pat their arm. Ganymede fluttered in alarm at the sudden movement, and Bastion shifted their torso to protect her. “Oh – sorry!”

“Be careful, Lena,” Angela said worriedly. “Ah, Bastion, this is Lena – callsign Tracer – and Hana, callsign D.va.”

The two girls waved. Bastion considered them for a moment, then replied with a quiet _Hello!_ in return.

“Lu,” Hana said, grabbing Lucio by the arm. “You promised to play Jenga with me and Zenyatta. Come on!”

“I can see Bastion off,” Angela offered. “Go play Jenga.”

“All right, then.” Lucio waved. “See you soon, Bastion!” Everyone but Angela and Bastion ran off down the hall.

“This way,” Angela said, starting off again.

The room wasn’t large, even if the aviary hadn’t been built into it. The promised aviary had perches and food and water dishes. A few containers of bird feed sat next to the door. There was a window in the opposite wall.

“It’s a bit small for your size,” Angela said, her tone apologetic. “Unfortunately we don’t have any bigger rooms. You’re not required to stay here, of course, but you can keep whatever you need in here, since it’s your personal space. There are charging ports in the walls, and if you need any particular equipment, feel free to ask.” She smiled. “I’ll let you settle in if you like. Dinner is at six – you don’t need to attend, since I’m sure you don’t need to eat, but maybe you’d like to meet the rest of the team and talk to another omnic while you’re here.”

 _Another omnic?_ they asked, curious. Another omnic here, where the humans seemed so opposed to them?

Angela hesitated. “I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re saying,” she said after a moment. “My apologies.”

Bastion stopped and thought about this unforeseen issue. Then they shook their head. If there was another omnic, they would find them in time. For now, Ganymede was tired, and she needed rest.

Angela left after a minute, and Bastion looked around. The room was largely empty, though there was a charging station and a table. They opened the door to the aviary, and Ganymede obligingly entered and perched.

 _I wonder how we’ll do here_ , Bastion said to her. She tilted her head and chirped softly. Bastion turned to look out the window at the sea below. _I guess we’ll see._

 

Bastion was asked to dinner with tentative offers and uncomfortable silences, and was surprised by the many humans there. There were more humans than they’d seen for a long time, all packed into one space. They were glad that they had left Ganymede back in their room. The bird could never had handled this.

Hana and Lucio were there, and invited them to sit near them. The chair couldn’t possibly fit them, so it was pushed aside and Bastion simply reconfigured their legs a little and squatted comfortably next to the table, and looked around to see the others.

To their surprise, they saw not one but two omnics, sitting together near the end of the table. One was silver and green, while the other had no chair but floated a few feet from the ground, several hovering orbs around their neck.

No – the silver one wasn’t an omnic. Bastion scanned a little more carefully. That was definitely a human heat signature. Odd. But the other one was certainly an omnic. He turned his head and looked directly at Bastion. He had no expression, but seemed quietly interested. Then he drifted over, causing a few others to turn their heads. Hana and Lucio, next to them, stopped chattering for a moment and craned their necks around.

“My friend,” the other omnic said. “My name is Zenyatta. I hear yours is Bastion?”

 _Yes_ , Bastion replied.

_Ah, my apologies. If you wish, I will converse with you like this?_

_That’s okay_ , Bastion said. _May I ask you a question?_

_Of course, my friend._

_Do the humans here like omnics? I thought they did not, but some of them have been kind. And… you’re here._

_Ah._ Zenyatta was silent for a moment, his orbs bobbing gently around him. _Some of them are more accepting than others. But I’m sure that in time, they will know you better and their animosity will fade._

 _Oh_. Bastion looked around again. A woman with a bun and a stick poking out of it – interesting – waved at them. _How long will that take?_

 _I can’t predict that, I’m afraid._ Zenyatta rested a hand on their shoulder, reassuring. _But I have confidence that it will happen._

 _Okay._ That seemed reasonable.

They spent the rest of the meal settled by the table, listening to Hana and Lucio chatter. Zenyatta remained by them, with the green-and-silver human moving to sit next to him. He greeted them with a cheerful _Yo!_ and seemed to only eat bits and pieces of the meal. A cyborg, Zenyatta explained. His name was Genji, and he was Zenyatta’s student.

 _Student?_ Bastion asked, wondering.

_Yes. I have taught him how to find peace._

Bastion’s eye flickered. There were memories of bullets and gunfire, of massive humans in armor that sent arcs of flame roaring towards them with a swing of the arm.

 _Peace_ , they repeated.

Zenyatta’s faceplant turned to regard them calmly. _If you need to talk_ , he said, _you may always come to me._

 

They weren’t sent on missions at first. Their engineer friend, Torbjorn, gave them a thorough checkup, with Angela standing nearby and helping to take notes. She needed it for the medbay’s records, she explained, even if it wasn’t something that would ever be exactly handled in the medbay.

“We’ll need to replace some parts before I feel good about sending you out again,” Torbjorn said with a grunt as he poked around the base of their gun, where it connected to their elbow. “And maybe a paint job. Shift into turret mode, will ya?”

They obliged, feeling the familiar rattle and clank of old machinery fitting neatly into place. Torbjorn didn’t look particularly pleased.

“Rusty,” he grunted as he began prodding at the joints again. “Hmph. I can make the parts you need, but it’ll take a while. Listen to that noise – you’ve gone over ten years without maintenance and you sound like it.”

They waggled their repair arm apologetically, having no other way to communicate in sentry mode.

“Didn’t you fix them somewhat while you two were coming here?” Angela asked.

“Not really,” he admitted. “At least, nothing that will hold up on a battlefield. Turn your gun to the left.” Bastion obeyed, and he went back to work, testing all the screws and bolts to make sure none were coming out. Neither of the humans minded when Bastion swung their gun around to accommodate him – Overwatch had directed that their ammunition be removed, for safety. Though it was odd not to have bullets at the ready, they had accepted that they didn’t need it here, and that they were safe.

In the end, Torbjorn gave an estimate of two weeks to get everything made and fitted properly, and Bastion was free to go. They went back to their room and sat with Ganymede for some time, with the window open so the bird could fly where she liked. Lucio visited, hoping to sample some of Ganymede’s sounds for his music. Bastion watched as the man tried to tempt a bit of song out their companion with food and whistles of his own, and settled contentedly in the corner.

 

They were invited to the launch pad with suspicious looks that said that this was only a formality that the asker would rather not go through with.

They were standing with Hana and the bun-haired woman – Mei – the next day, watching six other agents who were going off on a mission. The human who had asked them to come – Brigitte – stood a distance from them, throwing untrusting glances towards them.

One of the heroes was late, and the others were waiting on the launchpad outside the hoverjet, chatting amongst themselves.

“I’m here, my friends!” boomed a voice, and a massive man charged out of the doors. Bastion stared at him. And froze.

A massive human in armor. Hammer slung over his shoulder. He wore no helmet like the faceless ones in the other Bastion’s memories, but there was no mistaking him.

They went very still. One part of their processing said _No, this man is on your side! He’s friendly!_ The other screamed, _Danger! Danger! Eliminate the enemy!_

“Uh, Bastion?” Hana said a little worriedly. “You okay? Your eye is flashing red…”

Her voice seemed to ring in their auditory receptors. A red outline appeared around the human, who was now hurrying into the jet. The doors were closing. He was getting away.

They took a step forward. Their gun unlocked, and Hana and Mei yelped in alarm. Brigitte spun around, eyes blazing.

 _My friend_.

They froze and turned their head slowly. Zenyatta was floating there, faceplate turned towards them. He made a motion with his hand, and one of his orbs floated across to them, attaching itself with a golden thread to their shoulder. He said nothing more, but slowly Bastion’s mind cleared. Their gun locked again. Hana and Mei, who had retreated several feet, relaxed. Brigitte, who had also backed away at first, did not. If anything, her expression grew darker.

Bastion looked towards them. The humans seemed to have forgotten that they had no ammunition. They felt a pang of worry. They had scared away their friends, just like they had done with Ganymede so many months ago. They didn’t want to. They didn’t like that.

Hana hovered nearby anxiously, then approached again.

“You want to come watch me and Genji play Mario Kart?” she offered.

“Is that safe?” Brigitte asked, her tone cutting. Mei and Hana flinched. Zenyatta had no physical response, but his voice was calm.

“Bastion is no danger to any of us, Brigitte. Besides, their guns don’t even have ammunition. Be at peace.”

Brigitte scowled. “Still –”

“C’mon, Brigitte,” Hana interrupted, her eyes still too wide but her words energetic. “You can join us!”

The woman shook her head. “I’m good. Have fun.” She turned on her heel and marched inside.

“Well,” Hana said, turning back to Bastion. “Please say you’ll come?”

They hesitated, then replied with a _Yes_. Hana had learned to recognize the basic sounds of the omnic language, and she beamed. “All right, come on!” She ran inside, Mei behind her.

 _Did I scare them?_ they asked, when the humans were out of earshot.

Zenyatta floated in silence, then said, _I would say you gave them a hard shock._

_I didn’t want to._

_Yes._

They stood in place for a long moment, then thumped back inside, guilty and unhappy.

 

After the Mario Kart tournament (during which Genji was thoroughly wiped), Bastion headed outside. Some views of nature might relax them better.

They passed by the gun range. Several rapid, loud shots sounded from inside. Someone was practicing.

It was automatic. They barely noticed that they had shifted into sentry mode until they tried to fire and realized that they had no ammunition. They shifted out, horrified. Whoever was in the range hadn’t noticed anything wrong, and each shot sent a jolt through their body.

 _No, no, no_ , they said to themself, and, as fast as they could, they fled.

 

They found Zenyatta meditating on top of the Gibraltar main building, overlooking the sea. They approached him as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb him, but he turned as Bastion approached.

 _Hello, my friend_ , he said.

_Could you teach me how to find peace? Like you did with your student?_

Zenyatta didn’t seem particularly surprised by the request. _Of course, my friend._

 

Nobody reported the incident on the launch pad, and no one had seen the scene outside the practice range. Hana and Mei didn’t bring it up, and neither seemed too wary of them afterwards. Brigitte still looked distrustful, but at Zenyatta’s entreaty she kept her mouth shut.

Bastion was grateful.

 

A few days after that, Torbjorn was surprised when Zenyatta approached him privately about building a garden somewhere around the Watchpoint.

“It’s for Bastion,” the omnic explained.

“For that one, huh?” The engineer scratched at his beard with his massive claw. “I’ll see what I can do.”

 

Two weeks later, Torbjorn finished installing the last few parts in Bastion. They shifted from recon to sentry mode a few times, enjoying the new fluidity of their movements. Things didn’t rattle and squeak nearly so much now. Besides that, they could now switch out their gun for another hand.

They thanked their friend profusely. He didn’t really understand the wave of beeps and boops, but he got the gist. He smiled and thumped them on the arm.

“Good to work with ya,” he said. “We’ve got another little something for you. Come out and see.”

He led them outside and showed them a small, fenced garden, divided by paths wide enough for a Bastion’s wide feet, with several plots of soil already set out.

Bastion stood in stunned silence for several seconds.

 _This is beautiful_ , they said, uncaring that Torbjorn didn’t understand a word they were saying. They turned and noticed Zenyatta, Mei, Genji, and Hana standing there as well. The humans were smiling broadly – except for Genji, who had his mask up. Still, he seemed cheerful.

“Do you like it?” Hana asked, bouncing in place like her signature rabbits. “We helped!”

“Mei helped pick where it would get the most ideal amount of sun and whatnot,” Lucio put in. “Torbjorn did the actual building, but we were his assistants!”

“We transplanted a few tree saplings too,” Genji added. “They’ll grow up fast and give the garden some shade. And we installed a bench, and a bird feeder so Ganymede can have friends.”

Zenyatta said nothing, but he was pleased and happy for them.

Bastion swiveled their head from side to side, almost unable to process the wonderful thing before them. They were unable to shed tears, but another flood of thanks poured out.

“Oh, buddy,” Lucio said, looking like he was choking back tears himself. “You are _so_ welcome.” He approached for a hug, and Bastion allowed it. All the humans but Torbjorn piled on enthusiastically.

 _I would like to get started now_ , Bastion said to Zenyatta, who relayed the message to the others and nodded.

“Can we help?” Mei asked eagerly.

_Of course!_

The humans whooped. Bastion turned to the garden, more happy than they had known they could be.

 

They were welcomed on their first mission with a mix of eager invitations and wary stares.

The mission was with a team of Angela (Mercy, on missions), Lucio, D.va, Mei, a woman named Pharah, and the massive man from before. Reinhardt, apparently. Brigitte came along as his armorer, and while she threw Bastion a few nasty looks, said nothing. Lucio had written a tune specifically for the mission, and the beats soothed everyone’s tempers and minds. There were no instances of their eye turning red, but they were still uneasy around the giant man, who was no friendlier towards them.

The mission was a success. There were few injuries: D.va had sustained some bruising from when her mech was knocked into a wall, and Brigitte had a few scrapes from when the enemy had tried to swarm the hoverjet, but Bastion’s cover fire had gotten them safely away.

The atmosphere in the jet was jovial. Even Reinhardt thumped Bastion’s casing enthusiastically as he congratulated them all on their accomplishment. Bastion beeped in surprise, but appreciated it.

 

The flowers they planted grew quickly. In a few months there were vibrant blooms, filling the garden with color. Ganymede enjoyed hanging around them when they worked in the little plots, and nabbing bits from the feeder. She seemed eager to build another nest in one of the saplings that had been planted. Zenyatta installed one of his orbs to hover near the bird feeder and ward off adventurous squirrels.

 

Genji landed himself in the medbay after a particularly rough mission. Zenyatta and Bastion visited – with some difficultly, Bastion needing to turn sideways to fit through the door – with a vase of flowers, and left them on the bedside table. Angela promised to keep the vase filled with water for him.

 

It become customary for those who had finished a mission to find a flower of some kind outside their door the day after. No one in the medbay went long without a vase of them delivered, usually personally. When the season turned and the garden was sleeping, Genji taught Bastion how to make origami. It was difficult at first, with their chunky metal fingers, but they figured out some tricks to make it easier, and turned out surprisingly delicate paper flowers for their teammates.

 

The memories didn’t disappear. By Zenyatta’s diagnosis, it would be nigh impossible for them to vanish unless they did a complete system wipe and restart, which they most certainly did not want to do. But the sight of Reinhardt’s Crusader armor no longer made their mind go blank, and while gunfire might always cause an unpleasant jolt, the other heroes had taken the initiative to properly soundproof the doors and walls adjacent to the range.

 

They were welcomed back with whoops and cheers, and a blast of confetti, when they returned from their fiftieth mission. Their friends were at the front of the crowd, faces lit up with joy. Even Brigitte was smiling. They were hugged, patted on the back, congratulated. Lucio’s music pumped through the loudspeakers.

 _Thank you_ , they said to Zenyatta afterwards. The other omnic was watching his orb bob around the bird feeder, reflecting the setting sun.

 _Why are you thanking me, my friend?_ he replied. _They are celebrating you._

 _You started this_ , they said.

Zenyatta tilted his head. _Even if I did,_ he said, _you were the one to do it._

 _I suppose so_. They paused. _Thank you, still_.

Zenyatta couldn’t smile, but somehow he did. _You are welcome._

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this thing! Bastion needs more love <3


End file.
